Improvement in hand-stamps



l a part of this specifica-tion, in whichsaid nipple projecting beyond the bottom of the hanjecting beyond the orifice of thenipple b', and through p stem and the cap of the ink-fountain.

M iff/ i trut (time.

L. GANO, OF 'NEW YORK,'N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 83,704,

dated November 3, 1868.

l IMPROVEMENT;l IN HAND-STAMPS.

The Schedule referred to in these'Letters Patent and niaking part of the same.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known .that I, L. H. GANO, of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Postal and Oancelling Fountain-Stamps; and I 'do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and. exact description of the` same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and letters-of reference marked thereon, making Figure l is a longitudinal central section through the standards a a.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, showing the ratchetcam and spring-dog.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the stem-valve d.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Similar letters in the drawings refer to like parts.

This invention consists of a hand-stamp, for use in post or other oiiices, the main features of which are a self-inking apparatus, and a revolving and reciprocating die, with four or more faces, each of which comes successively in contact with the inking-pad, and at the second or other partial revolution'thereafter, comes in contact with the surface to Vbe impressed, by ,the use of which apparatus but one motion is required in order to perform both the inking and lstamping-operations, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

A represents the handle of a hand-stamp, une same being hollow. Within the cavity is placed an ink-receptacle, b, provided with a screw-cap at its upper end, and terminating in a nipple, b', with a conical cavity,

dle A, and entering a suitable cavity in the upper side of the pad-holder c.A "The lower part of the receptacle b, is solid, with the exception of a conical passage; b", a continuation of the cavity within the nipple b. v

Within the receptacle b is a stem-valve, d, the lower end of which is made to liit the conical passage b, so as to close the same tightly. A smaller stem, d', is attached to the nether extremity of the stem d, proa central cavity' in the pad-holder c, and also through a small perfbration, c", in the centre of the pad c', the end of the smaller stem d being about flush with the surface of the pad.

A spiral spring, e,'su1rounds the upper portion of the stem, being conned between a flange, d, of the It is obvious that when the valve-stem d is raised from the seat b, if there be any ink in the fountain, it will flow through the nipple b', and along the stem d', from which it will be communicated to the pad c'.

The pad-holder c is merely a metal disk with a flange around its edge, within which is placed the pad c. Cam-ears c" c" project from opposite sides of thepadholder, which enter recesses a a', in the standards a,

by means of which, and the set-screw c, and also the nipple l), entering its central cavity, the pad-holder is kept in place, whence it may be removed at pleasure The standards a, are hollow, and within them are placed slotted arms h h., through the slots of which pass pins 71.'. Between the ends of the arms h, and the bottoms of -the orifices in the standards, are spiral springs 71., the pins h and slots being for the pmpose of preventing the arms h om being ejected from the standards a, by the action of these springs.

In suitable bearings in the arms-h are placed the journals of the revolving die B, provided with four or more stamping-faces. When oneuof these faces is impressed upon any surface, with the usual impact, the springs h in the hollow standards a yield suiiciently to allow the said standards to' slide down upon the arms 71., which motion brings the lower end of the stem cl against the upper face of the die. Said stein is thereby lifted, and a ilow vof ink follows, as before described. The inking-pad c is brought in contact with the upper face of the die at the same time as the stem d', andthe face thereby inked. By the same downward motion of the standards h, the spring-pawl 'i is thrust over one of the teeth lc, of the ratchet k, rigidly attached to one 'end of the die B.

When the instrument is raised to strike another blow, the springs 71." are extended, and, by means of the pawl t' and ratchet k, the die is tmned a quarter revolution, which brings another one of the faces, suitably inked, underneath, and subjects another to the action of the pad above.

Hence, it appears that the inking and stampingmotions of this instrument are one and the same. This, however, I do not claim as new, but having thus fullydescribed my invention, v

What I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the revolving stamp-head B with ink-pad c and ratchet k, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Disclaiming the use of an inking-ribbon in a postal .and cancelling-stamp, an 4apparatus for automatically inking` the die, substantially as described.

3.V The conical stemvalve d, provided with the spiral spring e, when said stem is applied to the fountain of a self-inking stamp, and used in combination with the perforated pad c', as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The standards a, in combination with arms h and springs h", in the manner and for the purpose described.

5. The pad-holder c, provided with the cam-ears cfc, in combination with recessed standards a. and thumbscrew a, in the manner and for thel purpose described.

L. H. GANO.

Witnesses:

CHARLES F. BROWN, Gno. E. BROWN. 

